TED-Ed: Can you solve the giant cat army riddle? - Dan Finkel

A team of secret agents must solve a puzzle to escape Dr. Schrödinger's trap. The control panel has three buttons: add 5, add 7, and take the square root. The goal is to display the numbers 2, 10, and 14 in order without repeating numbers, exceeding 60, or showing non-whole numbers. The agents use strategic additions and square roots to solve the puzzle and escape, ultimately capturing Dr. Schrödinger.

What is Dr. Schrödinger's plan that the secret agents discover?

• To create an army of giant cats

• To hack into government systems

• To steal a secret formula

• To build a robot army

What are the three buttons available on the control panel?

• Add 3, subtract 2, multiply by 4

• Add 5, add 7, take the square root

• Multiply by 3, add 6, subtract 1

• Add 10, subtract 5, divide by 2

Why is it important to avoid showing the same number more than once on the display?

• It will cause the room to explode

• It will trigger an alarm

• It will reset the display

• It will deactivate the control panel

What is the first number the agents need to display to start their escape?

• 5

• 2

• 14

• 10

How do the agents finally reach the number 14 to escape?

• By subtracting 3 from 17

• By adding 5 and then 7

• By reaching 49 and taking the square root

• By multiplying 2 by 7